


#stranded

by vnikiforov, YuriPirozhki (AceOfSpace)



Series: JJ Style Week 2017 [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hashtag One With Nature, JJ Style Week, JJStyleWeek, One-Shot, Road Trip, fluff?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 08:45:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11437305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vnikiforov/pseuds/vnikiforov, https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceOfSpace/pseuds/YuriPirozhki
Summary: JJ defeatedly pulled his keys from the ignition, groaned and rested his head against the steering wheel. All he could think of was that he wouldn't get to the campsite by nightfall, and that he had he had three pairs of eyes on him, each of his passengers likely looking for answers."We're gonna die here, aren't we?"





	#stranded

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first day of JJ Style week! (also Emil's birthday; whoops) Check out the JJ Style Week tumblr, twitter and facebook pages for other examples of cool JJ-related creations from fans everywhere! Britt (vnikiforov) and I will be halving the responsibility and working on four fics each. 
> 
> The prompt for day one is 'frends!' Enjoy! - YuriPirozkhi

There was something beautiful about rural Canada in the summer. The crisp white of the snow-capped mountains only looked brighter against the rich blanket of clear blue sky. Pine trees as tall as city skyscrapers lined both sides of the highway and stretched to both horizons. The otherwise silent air was brought to life by peaceful birdsong, and the only other sounds that polluted the natural country atmosphere were those of growling car engines. Occupied by couples, families, or boisterous groups of friends, a number of cars sped along the highway with pop music blaring as they took their inhabitants to a place of adventure.

That was, except for JJ’s car. His well-travelled 2001 Volvo had decided that enough was enough and rendered itself undrivable, refusing to budge from the side of the road. It had served the Leroy family well for many years, and had shown no signs of its old age until JJ pulled it over to get food from the trunk. After that, it simply wouldn’t go any further. For a few minutes, he’d tried restarting the car, but each subsequent effort only proved to him that his efforts were futile. JJ defeatedly pulled his keys from the ignition, groaned and rested his head against the steering wheel, not caring that it would leave an indent near his hairline. All he could think of was that he surely wouldn’t get to his campsite destination before nightfall, and that he had three pairs of eyes on him, each of his passengers likely looking for answers.

“We’re gonna die here, aren’t we?” 

Leo de la Iglesia, the American skater in the passenger’s seat, was very much a backseat driver, although he didn’t know it. He had spent the bulk of the car trip commenting on JJ’s adherence to the speed limit, the blinker usage (or lack thereof) of other drivers, and his surprise in learning that Canadians, much like their southern neighbours, also drove on the right side of the road. JJ was sure that he’d find a way of blaming the car’s breakdown on him, as if he didn’t want to go camping and would much rather spend his time on a deserted highway.

“We are _not_ going to die”, JJ insisted before gesturing to the snacks that Phichit and Otabek were holding in the back seat. “We’ve got enough food for four days. Someone will pass is, notice we’re stuck, then they’ll help us out.”

Otabek Altin seemed rather calm about the situation thus far, still in the mindset that this was a mere pitstop, his mind immersed in his remixes blasting from his plugged-in cell phone. He occasionally made conversation with Phichit, often asking questions about what other music he’d be interested to use his his programs for next year.

“So after four days, we die.”

“ _Leo!_ ”

“Wait, did you just say we’re stuck?” piped up Phichit from the back seat, concern evident in his wide brown eyes. “For how long?”

“Just until the next car comes that can tow us along to the next town, or someone comes by with phone reception,” JJ assured him, glaring momentarily at Leo as he did so. Much as his backseat driver liked to think, they were not going to die.

“There are people we can call?!” Phichit asked excitedly before retrieving his cell phone from his lap. “I always have reception! It’s the best data plan in the world; I’m surprised you don’t have it, _Leo the Internet Detective._ ” The smug look on his face however quickly changed to one of horror, his complexion visibly paling as he came to realise that even he, a self-proclaimed king of social media, couldn’t access his accounts or look up a phone number. Defeated and hoping that nobody would notice, Phichit stuffed the phone into the pocket of his shorts.

“And?” asked Leo with intrigue, narrow eyes on Phichit, “Who’re you gonna call?”

“Ghostbusters,” murmured Otabek.

“ _Ay Dios mío,_ ” Leo paused to sigh. “You don’t have reception, do you? ‘World’s best data plan’, my ass!”

“I know!” the Thai skater seemed just as shocked. “I could have uploaded something amazing. Thousands of likes in minutes! Four hot skaters on a road trip! Hashtag stranded!” He leant back into his seat and peered through his window, with only pine trees and pleasant blue skies in his view. “And this natural light would have done so much for my complexion.” 

“Hey guys, look over there,” JJ pointed to an object in the distance, hoping at least to put a stop to Leo and Phichit’s whining. “I’m pretty sure that’s a road sign. Who wants to go check it out-”

“I will!” Leo had bolted from the car before anyone else could so much as volunteer. JJ supposed that he simply wasn’t a fan of enclosed spaces, although nobody had explicitly said that they all needed to stay in the car. It was a beautiful day outside, anyway. It likely wouldn’t be long until they decided to set up camp there, or at least get out some chairs and drinks.

“You said we were almost there, didn’t you?” Otabek asked, still notably the calmest amongst all of the passengers.

“Yeah, like maybe a half hour drive?” estimated JJ, shrugging to suggest that he wasn’t entirely sure. “Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering” was Otabek’s response. He shrugged and adjusted the tracks on his phone’s music player, eventually settling on a Kazakh chart-topper that he’d made into a remix.

Ten minutes passed, but unfortunately, no cars did. Leo returned to the side of the Volvo and collapsed into the passenger’s seat once again. Much to JJ’s delight, it was a road sign that they were near, and Leo had recalled the information on it to give them all an idea as to where exactly they were stranded.

“Okay, I know where we are,” Leo announced in a voice that suggested tiredness, but the utmost confidence all the same. 

“Go on,” suggested JJ.

“We’re on Route 155.”

“And?” He raised an eyebrow, expecting more.

“That’s where we are.”

JJ sighed, unimpressed. “Leo, we’ve been on Route 155 for an hour and a half.”

“There’s a road nearby that takes us to … Lac de Gross Boys?”

“It’s pronounced _grob-waa,_ but okay.”

Phichit chuckled from the back seat.

“‘ _It’s pronounced grab-waa-_ ’ Shut your French-Canadian mouth,” Leo teased. “Also there’s accommodation sixteen kilometres away.”

“That’s not that far,” Otabek commented. “I could probably walk there. It’s just a straight line along the highway, right?” He looked relatively unfazed despite the wide-eyed looks of shock he was being given, namely by Leo and Phichit.

“You’re not serious, are you?” Phichit queried, his brow furrowed with concern. “That’s almost a half-marathon. That could take hours! Not to mention you could get lost.”

“Yeah man, thanks for the offer, but don’t do it,” agreed JJ. “It’s not necessary. A car will come before you reach that motel, anyway.”

“What if a car full of scary people picks you up ‘cause they think you’re lost?” Leo asked.

“If a car passes me, won’t they be passing you first?” replied Otabek.

“Not if they’re coming from the other way! Besides, you might not even see a guy if you get attacked by a bear!” Leo’s voice was getting notably louder, and Otabek was beginning to look more frightened, not because of the things that Leo was implying, but more from the tone itself. “I know you’re mature and strong and you can take care of yourself, which is probably why that little Russian kid likes you or whatever, and you’re my friend above everything, but you will not win a fight against a fully grown black bear!”

JJ could only laugh at Leo’s spectacle, and take his side in strongly suggesting that Otabek stays put. “Not to mention, most people’s first language here is French, so I’d have to go with you.”

“Oh JJ, you wouldn’t last ten seconds against a bear,” Phichit thought out loud. “You’re too kind.”

“You’d probably wanna take a selfie with it.”

“Hashtag ‘one with nature!’”

JJ looked towards Otabek, who was peering through the window by his car seat and gazing towards the horizon. As much as he appreciated his proactivity and willingness to help the cause, he didn’t want to contribute to anything that could see him hurt. He had the Kazakh skater had known each other for years, and he would always remember the good times they shared training together, especially when JJ had taught him how to do a quad Salchow back in the States. Otabek had only ever treated him with the utmost kindness and respect. To suggest that he go walking for hours on end in the middle of nowhere did not sit well with him at all.

“You’re gonna stay here, right?” asked JJ, wondering if Otabek could tell from his face that he was concerned.

“Yeah,” he responded rather quickly. “We should probably all stay together. Besides, like you said; a car will come, and we have food.”

“Good,” said JJ, relieved. “I always thought you were pretty sensible.”

“You might change your mind if you meet my other friends,” Otabek gave a witty reply, and the slightest hint of a smirk.

“I guess we could play games while we wait,” suggested Phichit, “although we definitely can’t play ‘I Spy’, because everyone’s gonna say ‘tree’, and that’s boring.”

“How about … Charades?” Leo asked.

“Oh, I’m really good at Charades!” Phichit was bursting with excitement. “But first, everyone squeeze in the back. I wanna take a picture of the four of us.”

“Now?” teased JJ. “You know you can’t upload it, right?” 

Regardless, he and Leo left their seats at the front of the car, and squeezed into the back to fit into Phichit’s frame. Their bottoms barely touched the seats and their feet were planted firmly on the ground, but it was no matter, so long as they fit together. It wasn’t even something that crossed JJ’s mind.

“I know, it’s tragic, but I’ll upload it later. I just want to get a picture of me and all my friends; is that such a crime? Now smile! Say ‘Road trip!’” 

“Road trip!” the four young men said in unison before Phichit took the picture.

“Okay, we need to get the chairs out of the trunk so we can sit down for Charades,” the Thai skater decided. “I made some pretty big gestures and we’re not all gonna fit in the car. Besides, more people are gonna see us if we’re all outside!”

JJ was quick to open the trunk of the car and pull out four foldable chairs, as well as some plastic cups and a bottle of pop. He watched on as Phichit, Leo and Otabek were all talking about their skills in car games and their prior experiences with camping. They were smiling proudly, Phichit was waving his arms about and for a second, it felt like they were already at their final destination, ready to pitch tents, light campfires and tell stories about their hopes and dreams. He smiled as Leo called him to hurry up because Phichit was itching to get started. Part of him hoped that it would take a little while for the next car to come.

JJ and three other skaters had set out on a road trip in rural Quebec, but so far, had failed to make it to their camping ground. With a dead car battery and nobody to turn to, they were stuck on the side of the road, with the nearest working phone hours away by foot. However, things could be much worse, thought JJ. There was enough food to last a number of days, and always a conversation waiting for him. He dwelled on something that Phichit had said earlier, and he felt his face grow warm. It wasn’t something he heard very often, but when he did, it meant everything to him.

He had _friends._


End file.
